Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel N-(methyl-d3) pyridazine-3-carboxamide derivatives as TYK2 inhibitors.

As a mediator of pro-inflammatory cytokines, TYK2 is an attractive target to treat autoimmunity diseases. Herein, we reported the design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships (SARs) of N-(methyl-d3) pyridazine-3-carboxamide derivatives as TYK2 inhibitors. Among them, compound 24 exhibited acceptable inhibition activity against STAT3 phosphorylation. Furthermore, 24 showed satisfactory selectivities toward other members of JAK family and performed a good stability profile in liver microsomal assay. Pharmacokinetics (PK) study indicated that compound 24 has reasonable PK exposures. In anti-CD40-induced colitis models, compound 24 was orally highly effective with no significant hERG and CYP isozymes inhibition. These results indicated that compound 24 was worthy of further investigation for the development of anti-autoimmunity diseases agents.

Novel TYK2 Inhibitors with an N-(Methyl-d 3)pyridazine-3-carboxamide Skeleton for the Treatment of Autoimmune Diseases.

Tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) mediates the interleukin-23 (IL-23), IL-12, and type I interferon (IFN)-driven signal responses that are critical in autoimmune diseases. Here, a series of novel derivatives with an N-(methyl-d 3)pyridazine-3-carboxamide skeleton that bind to the TYK2 pseudokinase domain were designed, synthesized, and evaluated. Among them, compound 30 demonstrated more excellent inhibitory potency against STAT3 phosphorylation than the positive control deucravacitinib. In addition to JAK isoform selectivity, compound 30 exhibited good in vivo and in vitro pharmacokinetic properties. Furthermore, compound 30 was orally highly effective in both IL-23-driven acanthosis and anti-CD40-induced colitis models. Together, these findings support compound 30 as a promising candidate for therapeutic applications in autoimmune diseases.

Discovery of potent and selective Bcl-2 inhibitors with acyl sulfonamide skeleton.

The antiapoptotic protein B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), overexpressed in many tumor cells, is an attractive target for potential small molecule anticancer drug discovery. Herein, a series of novel derivatives with acyl sulfonamide skeleton was designed, synthesized, and evaluated as Bcl-2 inhibitors by means of bioisosteric replacement. Among them, compound 24g demonstrated equal efficient inhibition activity against RS4;11 cell line compared to positive control ABT-199. Moreover, it showed improved selectivity for Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitory effects, the result of which was consistent with platelet toxicity studies. In vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic properties of compound 24g had a significantly improved profiles. Taken together, those results suggested it as a promising candidate for development of novel therapeutics targeting Bcl-2 in cancer.

Design and synthesis of boron-containing diphenylpyrimidines as potent BTK and JAK3 dual inhibitors.

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) and Janus kinase 3 (JAK3) are very promising targets for hematological malignancies and autoimmune diseases. In recent years, a few compounds have been approved as a marketed medicine, and several are undergoing clinical trials. By recombining the dominant backbone of known active compounds, constructing a foused library, and screening a broad panel of kinases, we found a class of compounds with dual activities of anti-BTK and anti-JAK3. Some of the compounds have shown 10-folds more active in the enzyme and cell-based assays than a known active compound. Furthermore, liver microsome stability experiments show that these compounds have better stability than ibrutinib. These explorations offered new clues to discover benzoxaborole fragment and pyrimidine scaffold as more effective BTK and JAK3 dual inhibitors.

Liujunzi Tang, a famous traditional Chinese medicine, ameliorates cigarette smoke-induced mouse model of COPD.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Liujunzi Tang is a traditional herbal medicine widely used in East Asia and clinically applied to treat Phlegm-Heat Syndrome. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of Liujunzi Tang on cigarette smoke-induced (CS) mouse model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and explore its potential molecular mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The mice received 1h of cigarette smoke for 8 weeks. The serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were tested by biochemical methods. Histopathological alteration was observed by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining. Additionally, the expressions of nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κBp65) and (inhibitor of NF-κB)IκB-α were determined by western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis. RESULTS: Liujunzi Tang enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes and attenuated the levels of lipid oxidative production, meanwhile significantly inhibited the generations of inflammatory cytokines by inhibiting the phosphorylation of IκB-α and NF-κB. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicated that Liujunzi Tang exhibited the protective effect on cigarette smoke-induced COPD mice by anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties through the inhibition of NF-κB activation.

Esculetin attenuates lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammatory processes and depressive-like behavior in mice.

Esculetin is one of the major bioactive compounds of Cichorium intybus L. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects and possible underlying mechanism of esculetin (Esc) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammatory processes and depressive-like behavior in mice. Mice were pretreatment with esculetin (Esc, 20, 40mg/kg, intragastric administration) and a positive control drug fluoxetine (Flu, 20mg/kg, intragastric administration) once daily for 7 consecutive days. At the 7th day, LPS (0.83mg/kg) was intraperitoneal injection 30min after drug administration. Higher dose (40mg/kg) of esculetin and fluoxetine significantly decreased immobility time in TST and FST. There was no significant effect on locomotor activity in mice by the drugs. Esculetin significantly reduced LPS-induced elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in serum and hippocampus. Esculetin attenuated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression by inhibiting nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway in hippocampus. In addition, neuroprotection of esculetin was attributed to the upregulations of Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylated tyrosine kinase B (p-TrkB) protein expression in hippocampus. The obtained results demonstrated that esculetin exhibited antidepressant-like effects which might be related to the inhibition of NF-κB pathway and the activation of BDNF/TrkB signaling.

Cardioprotective effects of salidroside on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in coronary artery occlusion-induced rats and Langendorff-perfused rat hearts.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The current study was designed to investigate the protective role of salisroside on rats through the study of energy metabolism homeostasis and inflammation both in ex vivo and in vivo. METHODS: Energy metabolism homeostasis and inflammation injury were respectively assessed in global ischemia of isolated hearts and coronary artery ligated rats. RESULTS: Excessive release of cardiac enzymes and pro-inflammatory cytokines was inhibited by salidroside in coronary artery occlusion-induced rats. ST segment was also restored with the treatment of salidroside. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining (TTC) staining and pathological analysis showed that salidroside could significantly alleviate myocardial injury in vivo. Accumulated data in ex vivo indicated that salidroside improved heart function recovery, which was reflected by enhanced myocardial contractility and coronary flow in isolated hearts. The contents of ATP and glycogen both in ex vivo and in vivo were restored by salidroside compared with those in the model group. Besides, the expressions of p-AMPK, PPAR-α and PGC-1α in rats and isolated hearts subjected to salidroside were significantly elevated, while the levels of p-NF-κBp65, p-IκBα, p-IKKα and p-IKKß were dramatically reduced by salidroside. CONCLUSIONS: The present study comprehensively elaborated the protective effects of salidroside on myocardial injury and demonstrated that AMPK/PGC-1α and AMPK/NF-κB signaling cascades were implicated in the myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/R) model.

Salidroside suppresses inflammation in a D-galactose-induced rat model of Alzheimer's disease via SIRT1/NF-κB pathway.

Age-related inflammation is the predominant factor for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD). In the present study, we examined memory performance and neuroinflammation in D-galactose (D-gal)-induced sub-acute aging model of rats. Our results demonstrated that chronic administration of D-gal (120 mg/kg) produced cognitive impairment as determined by Morris water maze (MWM) test and step-down passive avoidance test. D-gal also activated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65/RelA by down-regulating the expression level of sirtuins 1 (SIRT1) in the hippocampus. Treatment with Salidroside (Sal, 20, 40 mg/kg) for 28 days ameliorated D-gal-induced memory deficits and inflammatory mediators including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß). Moreover, D-gal-induced activation of NF-κB signaling pathway in the brain was also inhibited by Sal via up-regulating SIRT1. These results suggest that D-gal-triggered memory impairment and inflammatory response may be associated with SIRT1/NF-κB signaling pathway, whereas treatment with Sal could positively affect these changes in hippocampus.

Salidroside ameliorates arthritis-induced brain cognition deficits by regulating Rho/ROCK/NF-κB pathway.

The prevalence of cognitive impairment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients was increasingly serious nowadays. The purpose of the current study was to explore whether salidroside (Sal) could alleviate arthritis-induced cognition deficits and examine the relationship between the impairment and Rho/ROCK/NF-κB pathway. Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) was established by the injection of chicken type II collagen (CII), complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) and incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA). Arthritic lesions of CIA rats were assessed by arthritis index score, swelling of paws and histological analysis. Cognitive deficits symptoms of CIA rats were monitored through Morris water maze test. The contents of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in hippocampus and serum were significantly reduced with salidroside (20 mg/kg, 40 mg/kg) treatment compared with those in the CIA group. In parallel, we demonstrated that the expressions of RhoA, ROCK1, ROCK2, p-NF-κBp65, p-IκBα, p-IKKα and p-IKKß were enhanced accompanying the investigation arthritis-induced cognition deficits, which were remarkably down-regulated by salidroside and confirmed by the results obtained from western blot and immunohistochemistry. LC-MS/MS results ascertained that Sal could enter into the blood and brain tissues to exhibit the protective effect on arthritis-induced cognitive dysfunction. Therefore, it was assumed that Sal might be a potential therapeutic candidate to treat arthritis-induced brain cognition deficits through the regulation of Rho/ROCK/NF-κB signaling.

The cardioprotective effect of salidroside against myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury in rats by inhibiting apoptosis and inflammation.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate effect of salidroside (Sal) on myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury in rats and the underlying mechanism. Myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury (MI/RI) model was treated with 30 min of left anterior descending (LAD) occlusion followed by 24 h of reperfusion. The male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 7 groups: (1) Sham; (2) Sham + diltiazem (Dit, 10 mg/kg); (3) Sham + Sal (40 mg/kg); (4) I/R; (5) I/R + diltiazem (Dit, 10 mg/kg); (6) I/R + Sal (20 mg/kg); (7) I/R + Sal (40 mg/kg). Sal could ameliorate myocardial ischemia reperfusion injury as evidenced by Histopathological examination and triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Moreover, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nickend labeling (TUNEL) assay demonstrated that Sal suppressed myocardial apoptosis, which may be related to up-regulation of Bcl-2/Bax ratio and inhibition of caspase-3, caspase-9 activation. Pretreatment with Sal affected serum biochemical parameters and cardiac dysfunction compared with I/R group. Sal also attenuated the pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6 in serum by inhibiting TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. Sal exerts strong favorable cardioprotective function on myocardial I/R injury which may relate to the down-regulation of the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and the inhibition of cell apoptosis.

Salidroside attenuates lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced serum cytokines and depressive-like behavior in mice.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects and possible underlying mechanism of salidroside (Sal) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced depression-like behavior in mice. Sal (12 mg/kg and 24 mg/kg) and fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) were administered intragastrically once daily for 5 days. At the 5th day, LPS (0.5 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally 30 min after drug administration. Levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in serum were measured by ELISA. Levels of neurotransmitters like norepinephrine (NE) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in the prefrontal cortex were detected by HPLC-MS. Further, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) and Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in hippocampal was determined by western blot analysis. Our data showed that pretreatment with Sal dramatically attenuated LPS-induced inflammatory response, decrease of NE and 5-HT levels in the prefrontal cortex. In addition, Sal increased expression levels of BNDF and TrkB. These results suggested that Sal may play a neuroprotective role through the BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway.

Protective activity of salidroside against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer via the MAPK/NF-κB pathway in vivo and in vitro.

Salidroside (Sal) is a traditional Chinese medicine with various pharmacological effects. The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of Sal on ethanol-induced acute gastric ulcer and H2O2-induced gastric epithelial cell damage. 0.2 ml ethanol and 400 µM H2O2 were applied to establish a gastric ulcer model in vivo and in vitro respectively. The production of interleukin (IL)-6, interleukin (IL)-1ß and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α was analyzed, as well as myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). MTT assay was used to detect cell viability. In addition, MAPK/NF-κB signal pathway-related proteins p-ERK, p-JNK, p-p38, p-IκBα and p-NF-κBp65 were analyzed to determine the underlying protective mechanism. Downstream genes such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) and leukotrienes B4 (LTB4) were also measured. Obtained data indicated that Sal inhibited the overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhanced antioxidant activity. Collectively, it is assumed that Sal could alleviate ethanol-induced acute gastric ulcer and H2O2-induced gastric epithelial cell damage through the MAPK/NF-κB pathway.

Salidroside ameliorates cognitive impairment in a d-galactose-induced rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate possible preventive effects of salidroside (sal) on a rat model of Alzheimer's disease and to explore its possible mechanism. Sub-acute aging was induced in male SD rats by subcutaneous injection of d-gal (120mg/kg) for 42 days, and the rats were treated with sal (20, 40mg/kg) or normal saline for 28 days after 14 days of d-gal injection. Morris water maze (MWM) test and step-down passive avoidance test were conducted to evaluate the cognitive function of the rats. The levels of inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) in hippocampus were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of sal. Further, we estimated the expression levels of thioredoxin (Trx), thioredoxin interacting protein (Txnip/vitamin D3 up-regulated protein/thioredoxin binding protein-2), Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-9 and related-proteins of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway by western blot assay. It showed that administration of sal significantly attenuated all the d-gal-induced changes in the hippocampus, including cognitive impairment and neuroinflammation. These analytical results provides evidence that sal can improve cognitive capacity by inhibiting neuroinflammation and affecting apoptosis-related proteins in hippocampus.

Salidroside Mitigates Sepsis-Induced Myocarditis in Rats by Regulating IGF-1/PI3K/Akt/GSK-3ß Signaling.

Sepsis-induced myocardial injury (SIMI) is caused by various mechanisms. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of salidroside (Sal) on SIMI and its mechanisms in rats. The sepsis model was established by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (15 mg/kg in sterile saline). Sal decreased the serum levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), whereas the expressions of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling-related proteins, such as IGF-1 and its corresponding receptor (IGF-1R), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), p-PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, and glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß), in the heart were decreased with Sal pretreatment. Mitigated myocardial cell swelling, degeneration, loss of transverse striations, and inflammatory cell infiltration were also observed in the LPS + Sal groups. Thus, Sal is assumed to exert pronounced cardioprotective effects in rats subjected to LPS, probably through regulation of IGF-1/PI3K/Akt/GSK-3ß signaling.

Protective effect of apigenin on Freund's complete adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats via inhibiting P2X7/NF-κB pathway.

To evaluate the effect of apigenin (AP) on arthritis in rats stimulated by Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) was the main purpose of the investigation. Arthritis model was established by the administration of 0.1 ml FCA in the palmar surface. AP and diclofenac sodium (DS) were administered to explore and evidence the protective effects against adjuvant-induced arthritis (AA). Cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were detected to assess the anti-inflammatory effect of AP. Besides, pathological conditions were examined in rat paws. Related-proteins of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signal pathway activated by P2X7 were investigated to determine the molecular mechanism of AP and their expressions were measured by western blot. The data showed that AP significantly suppressed the expressions of P2X7/NF-κB signal-related proteins and alleviated inflammatory reactions. Therefore, it was assumed that AP might be a potential therapeutic candidate to treat arthritis.

Anti-inflammatory effects of water extract of Taraxacum mongolicum hand.-Mazz on lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation in acute lung injury by suppressing PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz is a famous medicinal plant in China, has been listed in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China and used to treat infection, fever, upper respiratory tract infection, pneumonia, and other infectious diseases. This study aims to evaluate the possible mechanisms responsible for the anti-inflammation effects of water extract of T. mongolicum Hand.-Mazz (WETMHM) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory in acute lung injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into five groups with 10 mice in each group: (1) control group (saline), (2) LPS group, (3) LPS+dexamethasone (LPS+Dex, 2mg/kg, administered by gavage), (4) LPS+WETMHM (5 g/kg, administered by gavage), (5) LPS+WETMHM (10 g/kg, administered by gavage). The cell counting in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was measured. The animal lung edema degree was evaluated by wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio. The superoxidase dismutase (SOD) activity and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were assayed by SOD and MPO kits, respectively. The levels of inflammation mediators including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß, and IL-6 were assayed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Pathological changes of lung tissues were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. The levels of P-PI3K, PI3K, P-Akt, Akt, P-mTOR and mTOR were measured by Western blotting. RESULTS: The data showed that treatment with the WETMHM inhibited LPS-induced inflammation: (1) WETMHM attenuated inflammation cell numbers in the BALF, (2) decreased protein levels of lung PI3K/Akt/mTOR, and (3) improved SOD activity and (4) inhibited MPO activity; (5) histological studies demonstrated that WETMHM substantially inhibited LPS-induced neutrophils in lung tissue. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that the WETMHM had a protective effect on LPS-induced ALI in mice.

Effects of Salidroside on Myocardial Injury In Vivo In Vitro via Regulation of Nox/NF-κB/AP1 Pathway.

Salidroside (Sal), a phenylpropanoid glycoside isolated from a popular traditional Chinese medicinal plant Rhodiola rosea L., possesses multiple pharmacological actions. This aim of this study is to investigate the effects of Sal against isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial ischemia. Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized equally to five groups: control group, ISO group, Sal (20 mg/kg; 40 mg/kg) treatments groups, and propranolol (Pro, 15 mg/kg) group. Rats were treated for 14 days and then given ISO (80 mg/kg) for 2 consecutive days by subcutaneous injection. In vitro, we used H9C2 cells to investigate the effects of Sal against hypoxia-reoxygenation. ST-segment elevation was measured after the last administration. Serum levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA); levels of NADPH oxidases 2 and 4 (Nox2 and Nox4), NF-κBP65, and AP1 in heart, and H9C2 cells were measured by Western blot. The hearts were excised for determining microscopic examination, SOD, and MDA measurements. Sal decreased the ST elevation induced by ISO, decreased serum levels of CK-MB, LDH, TNF-α, IL-6, SOD, and MDA. In addition, Sal increased SOD activity and decreased MDA content in myocardial tissue. Sal also decreased Nox2 and 4, NF-κBP65, P-NF-κBP65, and AP1 protein levels in the heart. The results support a further study of Sal as potential treatments for ischemic heart disease.

Effects of Naringenin on inflammation in complete freund's adjuvant-induced arthritis by regulating Bax/Bcl-2 balance.

Naringin (COG) is a flavanone with various bioactivities including an expectorant effect, antitussive effect, and inhibitory effect on asthma and acute lung injury. The aims of the present study were to investigate the antiarthritis activities of COG and elucidate the underlying mechanisms with regard to its molecular basis of action for the best combination. Arthritis was induced by intradermal injection of complete Freund's adjuvant. Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups with 10 rats in each group: (1) control group, (2) AA group, (3) AA + dexamethasone (AA + Dex, 2 mg/kg), (4) AA + COG (20 mg/kg), (5) AA + COG (40 mg/kg). Paw swelling was measured, and the production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1ß, and IL-6 was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in serum. Pathological changes of joints tissues were observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Apoptosis of synovial tissues was measured by terminal dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. The expressions of apoptosis-related molecules, including Bcl-2 and Bax, were determined by Western blotting. In both COG and Dex treatments, COG and Dex significantly suppressed paw swelling in AA rats. Moreover, COG and Dex significantly suppressed the production of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 in serum. HE staining study demonstrated that COG and Dex significantly suppressed pathological changes of joints tissues; TUNEL assay demonstrated that COG and Dex induced apoptosis of AA via regulation of the protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bax. These data suggest that COG may have therapeutic potential for RA.